ARRANGEMENTS for Llandudno Christmas parade have been tightened up after parents complained that their young children were put at risk last year.

Angry mums and dads and a Guide commissioner contacted the town council after 2006’s parade because they were barred from accompanying children into the town hall to meet Father Christmas.

They said the youngsters had to go up a flight of stairs to the council chamber and after meeting Santa were ushered down another flight of stairs and out of a door into a busy car park.

One of them, Susanne Intriligator from Craig-y-Don, said she finally persuaded councillors to let her accompany her three children, but was not happy with the arrangements.

“When we teach our children not to go with strangers, who in their right mind would force parents to stand aside and send very young children alone into a large building full of strangers?” she commented.

She was one of several parents who wrote to the council to complain and Christmas parade committee chairman Brian Bertola apologised for the upset caused, although he explained children were supervised by councillors throughout their time in the building.

The parade committee invited the parents and Great Orme Guides commissioner Marie Bugler to a meeting where they were able to express their views, and as a result changes have been made in how this year’s event will be organised.

Admission to the town hall will be strictly by tickets issued in advance to named individuals and posters will be put up at the railway station where the parade starts, and the town hall.

There will be a minimum age of five years for children to go in to see Santa, and councillors will ask that one parent accompanies every four children.

Inside the town hall children and their chaperones will be directed up the main staircase into the council chamber, then down a smaller staircase back into the front hall which will be divided into two by barriers to separate incoming and outgoing groups.